Your basic first aid kit, kept either at home or in the car, can be bought from a pharmacy or put together yourself. It should always be kept in a clean, dry and waterproof container and replenished on a regular basis.
Here is Dr Hilary’s rundown on some of the essential items to keep in your first aid kit:
A bottle of antiseptic
A number of sterile dressings of various sizes
A plastic face shield or pocket mask
Adhesive dressings or plasters in a variety of sizes
Adhesive tape
Alcohol free wound cleansing wipes
Disposable gloves
One sterile eye pad
Roller bandages
Safety pins
Scissors
Triangular bandages
Tweezers
Optional emergency medications might include:
- Antihistamines in syrup and tablet form to treat allergies, rashes, stings and bites
- Ibuprofen and Paracetamol in syrup and tablet form to reduce pain and/ or fever
- Indigestion remedies in tablet or liquid form
- Re-hydrating sachets to treat dehydration from gastroenteritis
- Sterile wound dressings: dressing pads attached to a roller bandage, which are sealed in a protective wrapping are very useful. These are easy to put on so are great in emergencies.
- Adhesive plasters: these fabric or adhesive plasters can be applied to small cuts and grazes. If anybody is allergic to the adhesive in the plasters, use hypoallergenic plasters.
- Roller bandages: these are used to support injured joints, secure dressings, maintain pressure on wounds and to limit swelling.
- Triangular bandages: these cloth bandages can be used folded over as bandages or slings. They can also be used as dressings for larger wounds or burns.
- Gauze tubulour bandages: these can be used with an applicator to secure dressings on fingers and toes. They also come in an elasticated variety, which can support injured joints such as knees and elbows.
- Protective items: whenever you dress wounds or handle bodily fluids or other waste materials, wear disposable gloves if you can. A plastic face shield or a pocket mask can protect from cross infections if you ever have to give rescue breaths.
- Sundry items: cleansing wipes are a convenient way of sterilising wounds. Gauze pads can be used as dressings or as swabs to clean around contaminated wounds. Adhesive tape can secure dressings or loose edges of bandages if the casualty is allergic to adhesive plasters. Tweezers and scissors are useful to cut bandages to size and remove foreign bodies from grazes and other wounds. Pins and clips can secure the ends of bandages. Kitchen film and clean plastic bags are useful to dress burns and scolds and keep them sterile.
